California Dreamin' - The Mamas and the Papas - MP3 instrumental karaoke

Few songs are as emblematic of the 1960s sunshine pop sub-genre as “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas and the Papas. Songwriters John Phillips and Michelle Phillips first penned the tune during an especially cold New York City winter, longing for the sunny sights of California. The song was first recorded by singer-songwriter Barry McGuire, featuring John and Michelle Phillips on backing vocals. But after hearing John and Michelle Phillips’s band The Mamas and the Papas, producer Lou Adler had the lead vocal track re-recorded by The Mamas and the Papas singer Denny Doherty. First released on December 8, 1965, The Mamas and the Papas version of “California Dreamin’” was a smash hit, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and lasting 17 weeks in the chart. The song became a cultural touchstone of the 1960s counterculture movement, and still makes frequent appearances in mass media and pop culture.